There’s alarming, and then there’s really alarming – and a brand new trailer for Disney’s Aladdin looks like it’s well and truly falling into the latter category.
While the glitz and glam of the 2019 Grammy Awards were underway on Sunday, the time came for the new live action remake to be teased to the world, and boy did it make an impression.
The trailer itself gets off to a solid start with actor Mena Maddoud perfectly depicting the lead role of Aladdin. But as we get to the very end of the teaser, we’re faced with a rather confronting image…
We’d look like that if we were Aladdin too… (Image: Disney)
Appearing before Aladdin on-screen is a very blue, very CGI-ed, very odd looking Will Smith as the Genie – and fans lost it.
“It turns out that Will Smith’s #Aladdin Genie will haunt my nightmares,” wrote one Twitter user.
“If I were a child seeing that Will Smith genie CGI, I would have nightmares for a smooth week and a half,” wrote another.
Meanwhile, another fan summed up what many were thinking: “Did I scream? Yes. Am I pacing around my house now? Uh-huh.”
Watch the trailer in full in the video below. Story continues after video…
Oh! (Image: Disney)
And it’s not just the alarming use of CGI that’s confused fans – when the first stills of the movie were released, Will Smith was strikingly not blue, which caused a major stir online.
Taking to his own Instagram, Smith posted the new trailer writing: “I told y’all I was gon’ be Blue!! Y’all need to trust me more often!”
They do say be careful what you wish for!
The movie itself, set for release on May 24 is created by screen legend Guy Ritchie, who is behind renowned (and somewhat grittier films) including Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.
Speaking to EW in December, the director revealed one of the reasons he had traversed into making a children’s film was having five children himself.
“Making a kids’ film was very appealing to me,” he said.
Images of Will Smith as a non-blue Genie sent fans up in arms last year. (Image: EW)
Meanwhile Will Smith was well aware of having big shoes to fill when it came to playing the Genie – the character was originally voiced by the late Robin Williams.
“Whenever you’re doing things that are iconic, it’s always terrifying,” he told EW.
“The question is always: Where was there meat left on the bone? Robin didn’t leave a lot of meat on the bone with the character.”
And freaky CGI or not, we’ll be highly anticipating the new film’s release come May – at our own risk of course!
